Simon's Seasonal Insights - Brassica, mind the gap!
Planting of brassica crops has progressed as planned this year with very few issues.
Crops have grown well under polythene and fleece, leading to predictions of an early harvest start.
Looking ahead, it's important to remove polythene from later-planted crops in good time, as the gap between covered and open crop harvest could be problematic.
Pest numbers advance with warm daytime temperatures
Aphid emergence has advanced due to warmer-than-average temperatures.
Low numbers of peach potato aphid have already been caught in some traps, suggesting aphid emergence will be around average rather than late. Although not currently a concern in brassica crops, open-planted crops will be at risk from aphids over the next couple of weeks.
On another note, I may have to reconsider my prediction of low whitefly incidence in 2025, as dry springs have a major influence on this pest's lifecycle throughout the season. Historical data suggests whitefly populations are generally higher following a dry spring.
Plan to maintain crop yield and resilience
An unusually dry and warm start to 2025 highlights potential issues caused by climate change. Recent weather emphasises the potential of biostimulants to help support plant growth and health.
Products such as QUANTISTM and MAXICROP® have been shown to help support crops during hot and dry conditions by activating plant processes that mitigate abiotic issues.
Trials continue in 2025 to identify how these products are best positioned in brassicas. We have seen encouraging results from module drenches of these products, with application pre-planting helping to improve establishment and root growth.
